1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of recovering manganese from ferromanganese employing electrolysis.
2. Description of the Prior Art
From U.S. Pat. No. 3,024,116, French Patent 1,463,101 and Belgian Patent 688,998, as well as from the scientific and technical literature illustrated among others, by the following disclosures: A. R. SUCHKOV and N. MICHINAZh. Prikl. Khim. 39(1966) 2157-2162, V. YU. MINDIN and R. I. AGLADZE Elektrokhim Margantsa 4 (1969) 250-63. L. B. BOLDINA, A. R. SUCHKOV and L. A. PARAMONOVA -- Sb. Tr. Tsent. Nauch Issled. According to Inst. Chem. Met. 70 (1969)111-8), it is known to produce manganese by refining electrolysis in a molten salt bath, the anode being soluble and formed by more or less carburized ferromanganese.
This method has, however, the drawback that the electrolyte is progressively loaded with impurities in such a way that even if the first amount of metal settling on the cathode is of good quality, this will not be true for the later metal deposit unless the electrolyte is regularly renewed or at least unless said electrolyte is subjected to a very frequent purifying, which operation is however never mentioned in the patents or scientific and technical litterature mentioned above.